10 June – 2 July
For a show only premiering now, Playboy of the West Indies: The Musical has a long history. The Playboy of the Western World, a play by John Millington Synge, set on the west coast of Ireland, opened in 1907. Its Caribbean reimagining, Playboy of the West Indies, written by Mustapha Matura, opened in 1984. And now, as part of Birmingham 2022 Festival, that version has been further adapted and seasoned with charming musical numbers that make you want to tap your toes and clap your hands.
The story itself remains much the same. Peggy (Gleanne Purcell-Brown) is the proprietoress of a rum bar in the sleepy Mayaro village, where her father (McCallum Connell) plans to marry her to upstanding gentleman Stanley (Derek Elroy, playing the nerdish fop to a tee), all affectation and crisp linen suit. Until a beautiful stranger (Durone Stokes) stumbles in, sharing the story of how he killed his wicked father with one “chop” – and in no time at all, all the women in the village are swept up in lust and admiration. Even Peggy, with her emotional walls as high as her wit is sharp, begins to fall for Ken, the mystery man…
Moments between Purcell-Brown and Stokes never fail to disappoint; their chemistry fizzes, their singing voices blend beautifully, their ability to draw us into their dynamic is strong. Their scenes canter as a result. Unfortunately, other parts of the play have pacing issues.
Sometimes, in adaptation, everyone is so familiar and invested in the original production that they miss what fresh eyes might not. A couple of scenes here feel sluggish or without clear objective, and the turn of events in the third act is so wild that even the otherwise magnificent Purcell-Brown and Stokes can’t fully sell it. It’s a problem with the narrative itself. There are also some difficulties with sound quality in the group numbers. None of this ruins the audience’s entertainment, but stops it reaching the top-tier.
The ensemble is good. Everyone has a moment to shine. The red-blooded “obeah” woman Mama Benin (Angela Wynter, of Eastenders and Doctors fame) steals nigh on every scene she’s in. Wynter gets the biggest laughs of the night, and manages to find light and shade in what could be played as a straight caricature.
You will have an enjoyable night at the theatre seeing Playboy of the West Indies: The Musical, no doubt. A fun Caribbean calypso musical with some shaky emotional arcs and a cracking pair of leads.
★★★☆☆ Will Amott 16th June 2022
Photo credit: Mark Douet
